As we look towards all the excitement of our 2019 Summer Schools, we’re thrilled to announce that we’re launching three brand new courses: Mastering Automotive Engineering, Veterinary Science Programme, and Introduction to Veterinary Science.

All three courses will offer the same expert, interactive teaching, amazing extracurricular activities, excursions and parties, and settings in stimulating and historic locations that you’ll expect from Oxford Royale Academy. Read on to find out more about the details of each new course.

Veterinary Science Programme

Our Medical School Preparation Programme, for students aged 16 to 18, has long been one of the most in-demand courses at Oxford Royale Academy. But for students whose medical inclinations turn more towards animals than people, the same opportunity hasn’t been available to gain skills, work on their application and get to grips with the competitive field they plan to enter.

That’s why we’ve created the brand-new Veterinary Science Programme. This programme, based in Cambridge, is for the veterinarians of the future. Veterinary Science is just as demanding and competitive a university course as Medicine, so if it’s a course you’re considering, our new Veterinary Science Programme can help you to achieve your goals.

The programme covers three key areas. The first is the theoretical basis of Veterinary Science. You’ll learn more about the all-important fields of anatomy, physiology and pathology, getting a flavour for the kind of content you’ll be taught in university lectures. You’ll also learn about the theory behind the day-to-day work of a veterinarian, such as animal examination and animal welfare.

The second key area is skills workshops. These sessions will introduce you to the practical skills you’d need as a practising veterinarian. Not only do these workshops give you a taster of what it’s like to work as a vet, they’re also a highly enjoyable form of hands-on learning.

The final area is in preparing for your university application, which is of particular value for students considering studying in the UK who may not be familiar with the British application process. This part of the programme isn’t solely about the ins and outs of the application process, such as writing a personal statement and getting work experience – though these are, of course, important. It’s also about the wider context of veterinary science, such as ethical issues that might arise; the ability to think analytically about these questions is something that universities will want to see you demonstrate at interview. Our Veterinary Science Programme includes plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate so you can hone your thoughts on the ethical questions and challenges that a veterinarian might face.

All of this will take place in the wonderful setting of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge. Blending the modern and the traditional, St Edmund’s College was founded in 1896, and its attractive red-brick buildings are set in extensive grounds near the city centre of Cambridge – perfect for students wanting to get to know the city.

Introduction to Veterinary Science

If you have your heart set on a career as a veterinarian, but you’re not yet aged 16 to 18, don’t worry – you won’t miss out. Our second new course for 2019 is Introduction to Veterinary Science, is for students aged 13 to 15. Like our Veterinary Science Programme, this is a two-week course packed with everything a vet of the future might want to learn. The content is similar, but tailored to what students aged 13 to 15 might be expected to have learned at school in terms of relevant subjects such as Biology and Chemistry.

This course, too, isn’t solely about the theoretical side of veterinary science. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the daily life of a vet, including in practical workshops where you can gain hands-on skills. And you’ll also benefit from the expertise of our teachers and counsellors in figuring out how to work towards your goal of becoming a vet, across questions like which subjects you should choose to study at school and at what age you should start looking for work experience opportunities. By the end of this course, you should feel that you know not only a lot more about the work of a veterinarian, but also how you can achieve your dreams in this competitive career.

Students taking this course will live and learn in the beautiful surroundings of Clare College, the second oldest of the colleges of the University of Cambridge. Located on the River Cam, Clare has attractive historic buildings and a location that combines easy access to the city centre with enviable views over the Backs, perhaps the most famous sight in Cambridge.

Mastering Automotive Engineering

Our final new course for 2019, Mastering Automotive Engineering, is something new and exciting for Oxford Royale Academy. In this course, students working in small groups – a maximum of 8 per class – will learn all about the practical and academic aspects of automotive engineering, resulting in them constructing and testing a Caterham Seven 270 sports car. Because this project is so complex, this course will last a full six weeks. Students will live and learn in St Catherine’s College, Oxford, a striking 1960s college located near to the city centre, with beautiful grounds that students can explore.

This is a hands-on, practical course for students who want to learn all about engineering in the automotive industry. Every day begins with a classroom lesson in the theory of engineering; then students will have two daily workshop sessions to apply their new knowledge to the assembly of their Caterham Seven 270. The students will experience all aspects of building and preparing a racecar for the track; from the technical side of the build, to analysing the vehicle design, to the process of managing an advanced engineering project.

Because the Caterham Seven is a kit car, students will be building every aspect of the vehicle from scratch and testing it for road-worthiness. The crowning point of the course is the final day: Track Day, when students get to experience the vehicle they’ve built being tested on a track. And if they catch the automotive engineering bug as a result, our teachers and counsellors can help to advise them on the next steps to take for a career in this exciting and fast-moving field.